Following the news that pharmacies in Britain have been warning about a shortage of epilepsy drugs, James Spencer, Data Scientist at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers his view on the recent crisis:

“The shortage of epilepsy drugs has been attributable in part to Brexit worries causing foreign manufacturers imposing higher tariffs on drugs, as the UK is becoming a less desirable market. This means that people with epilepsy are in dire straits right now, as supply simply is not reaching demand. However, this is only one of many drug markets that are being affected.

“Should Brexit happen, or even worse, a no-deal Brexit, it could prove ruinous for those who are reliant on epilepsy medication to maintain their standards of living. If Brexit is to go through in future, the price of epilepsy medication will likely rise significantly resulting in an increased burden on the NHS. For those who can afford it, patients may be able to get their epilepsy medication from overseas sources. However, this will result in a loss in the quality of life for half a million people across the UK.

“Not only will this worsen the lives of those with epilepsy, but it will impose additional strain on those supporting and related to these people. A loss of one type of drug doesn’t affect just the patient population, but everyone who knows and cares about them as well.”